On 7 May, the AFI Engage 2024-2025 fellows, young professionals from AFI member organizations, learnt about the complexities and possibilities of Gender Inclusive Finance policy during a virtual Masterclass.

Audrey Hove, AFI Head of Policy Management, shared insight from AFI’s recently published Policy Model for Gender Inclusive Finance, Sesilia Nekwaya, Principal Economist, Financial Sector Development, Bank of Namibia, presented on Sex-Disaggregated Data, and Samuel Tarinda, Deputy Director, Economic Research & Policy, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, discussed the financial inclusion of women-owned small businesses.

“By providing exposure to key policy frameworks, global best practices, and AFI members’ pioneering work, we can help build the capacity and confidence of young professionals to drive change within their institutions and the broader policy ecosystem,” said Aban Haq, AFI’s Head of Project Management& Membership Engagement.

“Today’s session provided powerful insights into the persistent social, economic, and cultural barriers that hinder women’s path to financial independence, as well as practical guidance on how to craft effective policy responses.”

AFI Engage is a one-year leadership and mentorship program which aims to foster the next generation of leaders, empowering them to take forward AFI’s mission of financial inclusion and sustainable development.